socalfunplaces Chapter 126 Divine Grace New City - Winner's Restraint
Chapter 126 Divine Grace New City - Winner's Restraint
The Decepticons' first attack occurred on the outer perimeter of the Divine Grace City defenses.
The tank convoy launched a surprise attack from the central axis.
The attacking artillery fire first tore through the outer shield, followed by blasts and noise that crashed into the forward block. Shells and suppressive fire destroyed most of the defensive towers on both sides. The deceptive jamming channel was activated, and the automatic beacons along the evacuation route began to flicker.
The vortex swept across from above, dropping a string of bombs at the power supply nodes of the city's shield.
The outer defensive line of Divine Grace City lit up briefly, then dimmed slightly.
Tongtianxiao immediately took over the evacuation channel, speaking calmly.
"All non-combat units move to the western refuge zone. The first and second lines of the Academy area evacuate in order. Do not occupy the medical corridor."
Hot Rod charged down from a collapsed platform, his red and orange armor standing out starkly against the gunfire, the flame-like Autobot symbol on his chest flashing by. He grabbed two students who were nearly thrown off the bridge and pushed them back to the evacuation line.
"See that?" he said in the channel. "That's what you call timing!"
Tong Tianxiao coldly replied, "I saw that you deviated thirty-seven meters from the designated route."
Hot Rod: "But it works very well."
"The report won't be shortened just because you feel good about yourself."
Hot choked a little.
The siren of an ambulance cut in from the medical channel, sounding more ferocious than gunfire.
"If any of you are still thinking about writing a brilliant battle report at a time like this, I suggest you make sure you still have hands to write!!"
No one dared to disobey the physician's orders, and they all fell silent.
Hot Rod glanced down at his arm, which had just been grazed by shards: "Roger that."
Tongtianxiao ignored him and the convoy arrived at the second line of defense.
The five signals began to overlap, and Kalis's recording quickly made the Autobots realize what was going to happen next.
"They're going to reunite," Arcee said.
Baffle stood beside her, raised his weapon, and aimed it at the massive, converging outline ahead: "This time we don't have the fusion reactor bridge."
"Then don't let it get close to the withdrawal line."
"It sounds simple."
"You can treat it as simple."
The baffle gave a brief laugh.
Immediately afterwards, the Hun Tian Bao (a type of monster) stood in the central axis of the Divine Grace New City.
It is more stable than the last time.
The combined noose was reinforced, the right leg connection was covered with additional armor, and the chest synchronization structure was no longer as obviously exposed as on Kalis. City defense cannons bombarded its side shoulder repeatedly, only causing it to deflect slightly.
Then it continued forward, and the whole block shook.
It smashed the first layer of the central defensive line with a wave of its hand.
Further ahead, the city's central control center in Shen'en New City began to sound an alarm.
The central defensive line has been damaged.
[Evacuation progress in the college area: 41%]
[Medical area relocation progress: 33%]
The integrity of the urban structure is declining.
Tong Tianxiao stared at the data: "Concentrate all heavy firepower on both sides of the central defensive line. Be careful not to let him get close to the academy area."
Hot Rod immediately said, "I can go around to the back of it."
"Can't."
Hot Rod gritted his teeth: "But if we put it in the third line of defense, the city's central hub will be directly exposed!"
"So your task is to hold the withdrawal line."
"I can make it deviate!"
Tong Tianxiao's tone became even harsher: "You can't defend the entire city. Obey orders, soldiers."
There was a moment of silence in the channel. Hot Rod's spark trembled slightly. After a long while, he headed towards the route that Ultra Magnus had given him.
In the distance, the Hun Tian Bao's artillery fire fell again, and the evacuation tunnel of the third platoon shook violently.
Hot Rod turned and rushed over to shield a group of students from flying debris as they evacuated.
-
Arcee and Baffle were responsible for covering the rear of the medical line on the west side.
That wasn't supposed to be the main battlefield, but the deception allowed a group of Decepticons to bypass the blockade markers and almost sneak into the medical transport corridor.
Arcee flipped down from the bridge, firing rapidly, forcing the leading Decepticon soldier to take a half-step back. The shield followed her rhythm, forcefully pushing the entire enemy squad outwards.
"Left!" the barrier shouted.
Without turning around, Arcee instantly dodged to the side. A shell grazed her shoulder armor and exploded on an abandoned pillar behind her.
She rushed into the smoke and pulled a medical machine that was stuck under the transport rack out.
The baffle supported the collapsed structure, creating half a passageway.
"If you had been any slower, I would have been trapped inside," Arcee said.
The barrier struggled to hold up, and the sound was squeezed out from between his teeth.
"Then next time, give me a half-beat notice."
"dream."
She pushed the medical vehicle into the evacuation line and turned back to continue firing.
The shield pushed the piece of structural debris aside and rotated the shoulder armor.
"I knew you'd say that."
Arcee had already aimed her gun at the enemy on the flank, and her position perfectly filled the spot he had just vacated.
Black Widow paused for a moment on a partially collapsed overpass in the distance.
One machine can know where the other is without even turning around, and before the danger hits, one machine has already reached out to block it.
Black Widow's optical mirrors flashed slightly before disappearing from the shadows of the overpass.
The connections between prey are often more worth the patience than the prey itself.
-
The conclusion that Divine Grace City could not be defended came sooner than any machine had hoped.
After Devastator broke through the second line of defense along the central axis, the Autobots' defensive objective changed from "defending the city" to "defending the evacuation."
When Tongtianxiao gave the order to retreat, his voice was flat and even.
"Abandon the third line of defense along the central axis. All units retreat to the northward evacuation zone. Medical teams prioritize. The academy ranks must not be interrupted."
Hot Rod looked up sharply: "Abandon the third line of defense?"
"implement."
"There are still garrison troops there!"
"The rescue team has been dispatched."
"I can go pick them up!"
"Your current position is on the flank of the academy's formation."
Hot Rod gazed at the Third Line of Defense engulfed in artillery fire in the distance, clenching his fist: "I can do it!"
Tongtianxiao's voice was like a calm, unyielding rock, completely still.
"If you leave, there will be a gap on the flank of the academy's ranks."
"Hot Rod," Ultra Magnus said. "Execute the order."
A few seconds later, Hot Rod grunted and whispered, "...Received."
The medical channel on the ambulance never stopped.
"The third group of wounded should move westward, and should not be connected to the central axis automatic navigation! That line has already been interfered with!"
"Who put a wounded soldier with a broken energy pipe and a burned-through chest armor on the same transport rack? Were they planning to detonate the weapon again on the spot?"
"Blocker, Arcee, how much longer can the western medical line hold out?"
The barrier glanced at the deformed support pillars of the passageway: "For a short period of time."
The ambulance driver paused for half a second: "I hate that kind of answer."
Arcee shot the enemy's weapon off her flank: "You want to hear a lie?"
"I need more precision!"
"No! Shut up and wait for us to send the plane out!"
The ambulance driver cursed, but the medical transport team didn't stop.
-
Brutal Leopard arrived at the edge of the central square of Divine Grace City, just as the last batch of Autobots were leaving the core area.
Optimus Prime and Megatron clashed briefly on the outside of the plaza, their blades colliding and the shockwave spreading outwards along the cracks in the ground.
The evacuation team behind Optimus Prime has entered the evacuation tunnel.
The outcome of this battle will no longer be determined by the victory or defeat of the two machines at this moment.
A jazz voice chimed in: "The last batch has been evacuated."
Optimus Prime paused for a moment, and Megatron saw it.
He said, "You're leaving."
Optimus Prime did not deny it: "There are still non-combat units in Divine Grace City. They have left the core area, and some of them remain in the medical area."
Megatron's gaze darkened.
On the other side, Chaos Leopard raised his arm, pointing his heavy cannon at the old-fashioned energy tower behind the city's central hub. A few remnants of resistance fire still remained there.
The sound wave data was simultaneously transmitted to the Decepticon command channel.
[The retention rate of core urban functions in Shen'en New City is 63%.]
[Continuing heavy thrust can eliminate remaining resistance within eleven Stars.]
The probability of the academy system being damaged has increased.
The probability of collateral damage to the medical area has increased.
[The city destruction threshold is nearing trigger. Current estimate: 86%.]
A follow-up shockwave then appeared.
If the Brutus propulsion system continues to be used, the remaining Autobot defenses can be completely eliminated.
The city's preservation value has declined significantly.
Post-war governance costs have increased.
The probability of civilian resistance is rising.
The cannon of the Chaos Leopard began to charge.
In the vehicle's internal communication channel, the attacker's voice was filled with barely suppressed rage: "If we keep pushing, we can take the entire core area!"
Chao Nao yelled in the channel, "Let us finish this!"
Megatron simply watched at first.
Amidst the smoke and dust of the central square of Divine Grace City, the remaining Autobot forces are withdrawing.
Continuing the pursuit will allow the city to cease its resistance in a shorter time, and will also demonstrate the Decepticons' brutal power to all other cities that are still observing.
Megatron knew all too well the value of fear.
But... fear also has a cost.
Scotsburg, Hydra Plateau, Moye Heavenly City, Xuanji Lake City, Qingqiu City, Cloud Mist Mountain City.
And there's that sleeping machine in Crystal City, with a D-16 hanging around her neck.
The protection protocol for Divine Grace City was flashing on his tactical screen.
Academy, medical facilities, civilian energy resources, non-combat units...
Damn it, these words keep flashing on and on, as annoying as old constraints he can't erase.
Megatron raised his hand: "Stop Heavy Propulsion."
The tank channel went silent for a moment, then Attack immediately replied:
"We can also—"
"Dissolve the fusion."
Megatron's voice was barely audible, yet tense: "Transition to territorial occupation."
The muzzle of the Hun Tian Bao's cannon went dark.
A few seconds later, the massive combined structure began to unlock.
The war machine, capable of crushing the city further, came to a stop in front of the central square of the new city of Divine Grace.
-
Hot Rod remained silent as the Autobots withdrew from Divine Grace City.
He stood at the end of the evacuation line, watching the Decepticon symbol rise into the city center in the distance.
The new city of Divine Grace still exists.
The neighborhood was extensively damaged, two energy towers were destroyed, the central defense line was flattened, and the outer side of the central square was almost completely reduced to scrap metal.
However, some of the Old Testament provisions that were still valid suddenly came into effect, redeeming the remaining part of the city from destruction.
Hot-breasted man's fingers clenched tightly, a rare sense of frustration churning within him.
Tong Tianxiao walked past him: "Evacuation queue confirmed."
Hot Rod didn't look at him: "We lost."
Tongtianxiao gazed at the distant city center: "We've brought out over 70% of our non-combat units. The medical team is still intact, and the academy ranks are complete."
Hot Rod's voice softened slightly: "But the city is gone."
"Yes." Skypiea didn't like to use nice words, but he continued, "This won't affect your ability to carry out orders."
Hot Rod was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled softly, "Your way of comforting people is really awful."
I didn't comfort you.
"..."
They looked at the new city of Divine Grace together.
The Decepticons are taking over the central area, with armored vehicles dispersed to key locations, and the Trackers redefining airspace patrol lines. Massive temporary armor plates are being transported into the city center to reinforce the defenses around the plaza.
Megatron wants to set up his command post there.
A fortified command post means that the fall of Divine Grace City will last for a long time.
-
The Divine Grace New City Occupation Order will be issued by two Saistars in two weeks.
Megatron's voice echoed from the city's central hub across all public channels.
"Divine Grace City has been brought under the control of the Decepticons."
"Disarm all remaining armed units."
"The medical zone, the academic zone, and the civilian energy system continue to operate."
"Those who execute, plunder, or vandalize without permission shall be dealt with according to military law."
"The construction of the central axis plaza and surrounding areas will be carried out to reinforce the command post."
Many aircraft were stationed in the city, looking up at the Decepticon symbol projected above the central hub.
Some breathed a sigh of relief, some lowered their heads, and some hugged their family members or companions who had just come out of the shelter, unsure whether to feel fortunate or afraid.
Occupied cities do not feel lucky just because they were not destroyed.
-
Tianzhen and Haiyi traveled to Crystal City after three Sai Xingyue.
As Hacker entered the hibernation chamber, he immediately spotted two objects, one blue and one red, huddled in the low light next to the hibernation pods—a rumble and a confusion.
The moment the door opened, they both looked up, their eyes wary.
Haunted Wing paused for a moment: "They belong to sound waves."
Tianzhen looked at the small figures: "Soundwave knows."
It rumbled and moved a little closer to the hibernation pod, but the confusion didn't subside.
Tianzhen didn't get too close, stopping in front of the hibernation pod and looking at the sleeping gravitational vector.
Haiyi stood to his side and slightly behind.
Both machines remained silent for a moment.
Finally, Tianzhen spoke: "Divine Grace New City has been brought under the jurisdiction of the Tyrant Tigers."
"The Chaotic Leopard has halted its advance. The city destruction threshold has not been triggered."
Hackwing added: "Non-combat units were not included in the attack targets."
Tianzhen lowered his gaze: "This is not a warrior's honor."
Haunted Wings quietly agreed; there was no response from the hibernation chamber.
The rumbling and the confusion remained quietly in place.
After a few seconds, Haunted Wing whispered, "But the massacre will be worse."
Tianzhen nodded: "So we prevented things from getting worse."
After he finished speaking, they all fell silent.
They participated in the occupation and obeyed orders, but things almost spiraled out of control.
Hazywing looked at the gravitational vector inside the hibernation pod.
He wasn't very familiar with her; he had only met her a few times, but he was certain she was fully conscious.
He also knew what the sleeping chief judge had left behind.
Why can't the Academy area be marked as an attack target? Why must the Medical Zone retain its own energy source? Why shouldn't non-combat units be included in the victory cost?
If these things were only placed in the pre-war code, many soldiers might find them troublesome.
But on the battlefield, they are the last line of defense to prevent machines from turning into monsters.
The battle in Divine Grace New City was transferred to the sealing system by the two machines.
Then they turned and left.
Before the door closed, Haiyi glanced back.
The rumbling and confusion receded back into the low light.
They did not go with them.